Understanding Psychology - Module 1 Flashcards

Flashcards covering the foundational concepts, history, branches, interdisciplinary links, and application areas of Psychology from Module 1.

What is the primary role of the human nervous system in relation to body functions and psychological processes?

The nervous system controls the functioning of the human body using nerve cells to transmit information, governing sense organs as well as abilities to attend, perceive, think, learn, memorise, recall, feel, and behave.

What are the main goals of psychological research according to the scientific perspective?

The scientific view considers that psychological research helps observe, describe, control, predict, and improve human behaviour and emotions.

How is Psychology defined, and what mental processes are included in human cognition?

Psychology is defined as the scientific study of experiences, behaviours, and mental processes. Human cognition includes mental processes like knowing, thinking, reasoning, and understanding.

What is the difference between observable (overt) behaviour and covert behaviour?

Observable behaviour can be seen by others (such as playing a game of Cricket), whereas covert behaviour cannot be seen or known by others (such as deciding your next move in a game of Snakes and Ladder).

Why is Psychology recognized and classified as a Social Science?

Psychology is recognized as a Social Science because it studies human beings within their sociocultural context, analyzing how cultural environment, parenting, and socialization practices influence human experiences, emotions, actions, attitudes, and interpersonal relationships.

Why is Psychology also considered a Natural Science?

Psychology is considered a Natural Science because it relies on scientific methods to collect empirical, verifiable data through experiments, systematic observations, objective measurements, and hypothesis testing.

What is a hypothesis in psychological research?

A hypothesis is a tentative statement that is to be proved through research.

From which discipline did Psychology evolve, and approximately how many years ago did this transition occur?

Psychology evolved from Philosophy about $150$ years ago, when scientific thoughts led to experimental advances in the field.

What was the main focus of Structuralism, who established the first psychological laboratory, and where and when did it open?

Structuralism focused on the structure of mind and consciousness using introspection. The first psychological laboratory was established by Wilhelm Wundt in Leipzig, Germany in $1879$.

How is the method of introspection defined in early structuralist psychology?

Introspection is a method in which a subject describes his or her own conscious experiences.

What was the primary focus of Functionalism, and who were its major proponents?

Functionalism focused on how behaviour functions and what a mind does rather than the structure of the mind. Its key proponents included William James, John Dewey, and James Angell.

How does Gestalt psychology explain object perception using dotted figures like those in Fig. 1.1?

Founded by Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffka, and Wolfgang Kohler, Gestalt psychology emphasizes that perception is organized into wholes and that the whole is much more than the sum of its parts, causing dotted outlines to be perceived as unified shapes rather than simple collections of dots.

What is the central focus of the behavioristic perspective, and who was the first behaviorist?

The behavioristic perspective focuses on observable behavior that can be measured scientifically by studying and modifying the environment. John B Watson was the first behaviorist.

Who founded Psychoanalysis, and what key concept forms the basis of the psychodynamic perspective?

Psychoanalysis was founded in Vienna, Austria by Sigmund Freud. The psychodynamic perspective centers on unconscious motivation, proposing that human behavior is driven by unconscious motives, needs, and desires.

What does the humanistic perspective emphasize, and which theorists are associated with it?

Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow emphasized a person's sense of self and reducing the discrepancy between the real self and ideal self by understanding potential and striving toward self-actualization.

How does the cognitive perspective view the human mind, and how do constructivists view mental development?

The cognitive perspective views the human mind as an information processing system that processes, stores, and retrieves information like a computer. Constructivists view the mind as actively constructing itself through exploration of the physical and social world.

When and where was the first psychological laboratory in India established?

The first psychological laboratory in India was established at Calcutta in $1916$.

What were the major contributions of Narendra Nath Sen Gupta to Indian psychology?

Narendra Nath Sen Gupta was a Harvard-educated Indian psychologist who founded the Indian Psychological Association and served as the founding editor of the Indian Journal of Psychology.

What books did Jadunath Sinha publish in $1934$ regarding Indian psychology?

In $1934$, Jadunath Sinha wrote a book on Indian theories of perception and another book on Cognition.

How do Psychology and Economics connect in studying human choice and consumer action?

Psychology helps economists understand human wants, consumer behaviour, savings, and decision-making, giving rise to the subfield of Behavioural Economics.

In what ways is psychological knowledge applied to Law and Criminology?

Psychology is applied in legal settings to understand eyewitness memory, jury bias, constructive memory, decision-making, trials, investigations, ethical codes, interviewing skills, punishment, parole, and rehabilitation.

How do Psychology and Computer Science interact with one another?

Computer engineers use psychological research methods to build software, Human Computer Interaction Engineering (HCIE), and artificial intelligence (AI) that mimic the human mind, while computer tools aid psychology research.

How does a Clinical Psychologist differ from a Psychiatrist in training and practice?

Clinical Psychologists hold degrees in Psychology and provide psychotherapy to help clients cope with troublesome thoughts and feelings without prescribing medicine, whereas Psychiatrists hold medical degrees and can prescribe medication.

What types of issues fall under the scope of Counselling Psychology?

Counselling Psychologists assist people facing milder emotional, personal, and everyday problems, such as career choices, marriage, family raising, vocational testing, and work performance.

What are the roles of Educational and School Psychologists?

Educational Psychologists work on curriculum planning, instruction design, and teacher training. School Psychologists work directly with educators and families to counsel students in elementary and secondary schools with academic, emotional, or behavioural problems.

What changes across the lifespan are studied by Developmental Psychologists?

Developmental Psychologists examine physical, motor, cognitive, emotional, behavioral, social, and linguistic growth and changes from conception through death.

What topics are examined within the field of Social Psychology?

Social Psychology studies interpersonal processes, aggression, intergroup conflict, attitudes, stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination, self-concept, social cognition, social influence, group processes, and polarization.

What topics are managed by Industrial/Organizational Psychologists in a workplace setting?

Industrial/Organizational Psychologists deal with hiring/placement testing, leadership, workplace communication, personnel supervision, productivity, team morale, goal setting, job design, and organizational development interventions.

How do Community Psychologists assist populations and social institutions?

Community Psychologists help alleviate physical and mental health issues as well as social problems like unemployment, social discrimination, care of the elderly or challenged, and de-addiction through community outreach and rehabilitation programs.

What is the core focus of Environmental Psychology?

Environmental Psychology studies the relationship between people and physical factors (such as land, climate, crowding, pollution, humidity, and natural disasters) to foster sustainable use of environmental resources and improve living and working conditions.